Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-06-08


beeeen in !" This was sacrilege. Mr.. Van
C0over immediately forgot the exclt-
ing subject Of therobbers IN reflections
upon his spouse's want OF reverence
for the family emeralds, which had
adorned the persons OF every feminine
Van Coover since the year one. But
the young people were not SO easily
diverted, and their conversation
turned upon burglars and burglary,
until, when the clock struck eleven
and bedtime approached, the girls n
particular were in anything but an
agreeable state Of mind.
Mr.. Fotterall had been sitting be-
aide Madge ia the group around the
fire, but only Sally's quick eyes had
detected the GIL noes they mad not
infrequently exchanged. In the hustle
attendant upon separation no one
noticed how long the gallant Tommy
was IN handing his charming neighbor
her bedroom candle-stick, nor how the
crimson flushed not only her cheek,
but her throat and brows. as her
fingers lay not unwillingly in his
strong grasp.
Sally few into the room they occu-
pied together and was already nestled
among the pillows when Madge saun-
tered slowly in, her eyes dancing and
new expression on her face caused
Sally to look again with surprise, and
wonder if she were really growing
pretty after ali.
"Come to bed," ordered Miss Cor
ham sleepiiy.
"I'm coming" responded Madge in
an absent way.
But she proceeded, nevertheless, to
put on q wrapper and let down her
beautiful hair preparatory to brushing
it out and putting it up for the night.
1t was long and thick and curly,
OF a warm red-brown, and hung about
her like q veil, softening her harsh
features until she said to herself in
whisper of pardonable pride, "I'm al
most pretty with my hair down
How | wish" She neverfinished the
sentence. 1t died away in g. smile
which fingered about her lips as she
wound the plentiful waves and rip
pies into acareless knot on the top of
her head, and sat down on the edge of
the bed, lost in meditation as pleas
ant as it was profound.
AU 1clSO SuO IOOACO Op.
Sally was sleeping the sleep OF the
Just, with one dimpled hand under
her cheek, the other lying IDLY on the
coverlet. The old Dutch clock on the
landing of the stairs below chimed
out a melodious midnight, and
Madge began to think seriously of
bed.
AS she glanced up, however, her eyes
beheld sight which caused every
drop Of blood to stand still in her
veins.
In the mirror opposite her she saw
the door Of q closet on the
other side OF the bed open slowly,
end the face of g. man peep slyly
out-a bad, brutal, scar-seamed face,
with blood-shot eyes that scanned the
scene with evil accuracy. They saw
the slumbering and unconscious Sally,
the motiCnless figure Of Madge, evil
IDENTIFY about to follow her friends ex-
ample and retire for the highland q
little heap OF rings and pins that gilt
tered on tiny table near by. With q
grin Of hideous satisfaction the face
was noiseiessly withdrawn, and the
door shut softly to again, while poor
Madge laid a hand upon her heart and
tried to stop its wild beating.
What should she do? Wake Sally,
who would be certain to cry out in a
frenzy Of fright, and give the wretch q
chance TO annihilate them before they
could escape? Fly down to the smok-
ing room, Where she could hear some
Of the men talking over their cigars,
and abandon Sally to her fate? She
raised her head once more in despair,
when 10! an idea
Lightly, trembling, she rose to her
feet, lightly crossed the room, and
suddenly! Heavens! how the floor
cracked suddenly she turned the key
in the lock, and had her prisoner safe!
How he swore and stormed
and beat against the door, while
Sally aWoke screaming, and the
whole household, in a state of dire
alarm, appeared>upon the scene! The
men rushed up from thesmoking
offender from his impromp5u dungeon,
and to deliver him over to the officers
Of the peace, who were summoned by
q watchman's rattle welded vjgor-
ously out of the window by Mrs. Van
CooVer in g, paroxysm OF fear.
There was an i'm nense amount of
gable and explanation going on, I'M
stinted praise Of Madge's courage and
presence o. mind and, then a general
rendezvous in the hall below, for
sleep was felt to be impossible after
all that had occurred. But on the
way down stairs, on the dusky land.
ing where the old Dutch clock had
stood for years, and told no tales, Mr..
Tom Fotterall and Miss Madge Palli-
Ser were detained a moment or two
behind the rest, quite by chance, Of
course, and unnoticed by any. The
red-brown locks were in sad state OF
tumble; but the pretty pink wrapper
was very becoming nevertheless, and
for once in her life it's wearer was real
ly lovely with happy tears in her eyes
and the dearest blush in the world
mantling her cheek as somebody's
tender arms went about her and
somebody said softly,
6AT TIriuifu tho la ct Of Nav ~